Although Eddie had received a letter from his mother, he didn't immediately lead Sophia back home. Instead, he decided to prepare a grand surprise for her and teach a lesson to those in the Yew Family castle who looked down on them.
Inan and Sophia went shopping, not trusting Eddie to know what to buy for his mother. They planned to purchase suitable gifts such as jewelry, cosmetics, and fabric for new clothes, especially since the family had been scrimping to afford the Spirit Awakening Pill for his father.
Eddie gave Sophia fifty gold coins to spend as she wished. Though initially hesitant, she accepted the money with glee after Inan's encouragement.
Yehken and the Ly brothers planned to bring Yumon Wynn, Zayn Hay, and Yanthon Chin to the Tower, believing their non-combat skills would be ideal for learning the language of the Demon Abyss.
Yehken accepted the money Eddie offered without objection, acknowledging his potential as a leader.
Hessian, envious of the others receiving money but unable to ask for some due to his status as the group's 'leader,' reluctantly refrained from requesting any.
Eddie, aware of Hessian's desire, subtly offered him a way to earn some money by asking for help with shopping for everyday items.
Hessian boasted of his knowledge of the Tower's first floor and offered to assist, proudly claiming he could procure anything Eddie needed.
Eddie gave Hessian ten gold coins and sent him on his way, relieved to have some privacy to summon his Thorn Flowers and feed them the bodies of the demon generals.
With Hessian happily occupied with his shopping mission, Eddie was left alone in the warehouse.
This solitude was necessary for him to maintain the secrecy of his Thorn Flowers and their unique method of growth. Eddie's actions reflected his cunning and resourcefulness in managing his secrets and responsibilities while fostering a sense of camaraderie among his companions.
Eddie summoned the Gold Thorn Flower, which was close to evolving into a 'Thorn Flower Witch.' Its transformation was near, with the flower now standing six meters tall, its main stem as thick as a barrel and the giant flower larger than a round table.
Two side stems as thick as bowls and several clonal offshoots had emerged, continuously absorbing energy transferred from the main plant.
After consuming the bodies of five demon generals, the Thorn Flower began to contract and curl up, its long slender leaves rapidly enlarging and enveloping the flower like layers of a cabbage.
This unexpected transformation puzzled Eddie, as it didn't resemble the expected evolution into a Thorn Flower Witch. The plant radiated a golden glow and spontaneously returned to the Silver Grimoire.
Eddie realized it was undergoing a unique mutation, but he couldn't predict the outcome. The coiled formation was characteristic of the Golden Crown Thorn Flower Queen, a stage far beyond its current level.
He wondered if the excessive consumption of demon generals had led to this unexpected and special mutation.
With one large and two smaller coiled bundles, Eddie speculated whether three Thorn Flower Witches might emerge from this transformation.
Eddie recognized this as a fortunate and rare occurrence, even though he couldn't predict the exact outcome.
His plan to cultivate the 'Golden Crown Thorn Flower Queen' was a long-term goal, and he was not in a rush.
His current roster of powerful battle beasts was already formidable, including the humanoid Gold King Beast, Bloody Queen, as well as Bronze-level five beasts like the Barbarian Bull Shadow and Grey Wolf.
Eddie was eagerly anticipating showcasing his strength at the Yew Family's youth tournament, where he planned to triumph over his cousins Yehky and Blaze Yew, proudly representing his mother and making Sophia proud.
He was determined to prove his worth to those who had looked down upon his family.
The primary reason Eddie delayed their return home was to purchase a Summoning Grimoire for Sophia's sister, Little Frost.
He had intended to buy her a grimoire since their time in White Stone City and decided this visit to the Heaven-Reaching Tower was the perfect opportunity to fulfill that plan.
He suspected Little Frost might also have the potential to contract with a grimoire, but their mother had not been able to afford one to test her ability.
With these plans in mind, Eddie prepared for the journey back to the Yew Family home, ready to make a significant impact and change the perceptions of those who had underestimated him and his family.
The Summoning Hall, resembling a solitary tower, was located within the human settlement but only accessible to Grimoire Contract holders.
Members of the four major families and the three royal houses typically submitted blood samples or hair from newborns to register them for Grimoire Contracts.
Due to their superior bloodlines, no descendants from these families had been found incapable of forming a contract in a millennium. The royal families occasionally had individuals who couldn't contract, but such persons were not recognized and often met with a tragic end under the guise of accidents.
As for other families, their descendants mostly couldn't contract with Grimoires, making the excellent bloodlines of the four major families a source of envy.
However, the major families had fewer descendants compared to others. For example, the
Yew Family having nine grandchildren in this generation was considered exceptionally fortunate. In contrast, ordinary families often had numerous offspring, relying on quantity over quality.
Even with low success rates for Grimoire Contracts, they could usually ensure one or two descendants succeeded each generation with the help of special medicines and elixirs.
When Eddie arrived at the Summoning Hall, the gatekeeper asked him to present his Grimoire for entry.
Upon seeing Eddie's Silver Grimoire, the middle-aged gatekeeper was visibly impressed, noting Eddie's youthfulness.
It was rare to see someone so young with a Silver Grimoire, and the gatekeeper realized he didn't recognize Eddie, a rarity for a young prodigy with such a prestigious item.
Once inside, the gatekeeper inquired whether Eddie was there to research historical events of the Summoning Epoch or information on life guardian beasts and talents.
Eddie, however, was there to purchase a Grimoire. He handed over a hundred gold coins and a small silk pouch containing hair from Little Frost, a descendant of the Yew Family, for verification.
The middle-aged man took the money and the pouch upstairs for verification with another elder.
They soon returned with a Bronze Grimoire for Little Frost.
Before handing it over, they performed a mandatory verification process with Eddie, using a magic crystal block. Eddie placed his crystal card on the block, and it flashed with golden light, displaying the message "Grimoire Introducer: Titan."
This procedure was standard, ensuring the legitimacy and security of the Grimoire transaction.
Eddie's actions demonstrated his commitment to helping his family, especially in providing opportunities for Little Frost, reflecting his sense of responsibility and familial loyalty.
Eddie was surprised to see the gatekeeper and the elder reacting with shock upon learning he possessed a crystal card.
Such cards were only given to the most outstanding descendants, indicating his high status.
When asked about his relationship with Little Frost, Eddie was momentarily worried about how to respond, fearing the consequences of either lying or revealing the truth about his identity.
He ultimately decided to state that he was her brother, which technically was true in his current life, even though he had no blood relation to her.
After Eddie confidently declared himself as Little Frost's brother, a bright golden light flashed from the magic crystal block, indicating the ancient laws had accepted his answer.
The gatekeeper and the elder confirmed that Eddie was now officially recognized as Little Frost's Grimoire introducer.
They explained the importance of securing the Grimoire and the procedure if it were lost or stolen.
Relieved that his response was accepted, Eddie realized that the ancient laws might have recognized the truth in his words.
While he didn't disclose his full identity, he had cleverly navigated the situation by maintaining a semblance of truth.
Upon leaving the Summoning Hall, the middle-aged man expressed his astonishment to the elder, suspecting Eddie might be the infamous "useless third young master" of the Yew Family.
The man was amazed that Eddie, long believed to be unable to contract a Grimoire, now possessed a Silver Grimoire.
He commented on Eddie's cunning and deceptive nature, contrasting him with his sincere and straightforward father, and marveled at Eddie's ability to hide his true potential from the world.
The introduction person for the Crystal Card should be that person. Over the past few years, only she has had the Crystal Card; others only have the Gold Card. When the Three Great Star Killers entered the Tower of Heaven, you also know, their introducers all had Gold Cards. I haven't seen anyone get a Crystal Card." The old man suddenly shivered.
"I've said it before, how could Yueqiu's son be a useless person? It seems that only she can see his true strength!"
"Yes!" The middle-aged man suddenly realized, "I was wondering earlier how this kid had a Crystal Card. It turns out she's his introducer."
"This kid may be carrying the nickname of a useless person, but she would never make a mistake in judgment. Compared to her, we're all blind."
The old man seemed to hold great respect for the busty mature lady who introduced Eddie into the Tower.
He didn't even dare to speak her name directly.
"Ma Lao, we've been completely deceived by rumors!
If that kid is considered useless, then my son is the most useless of all!
He even dares to call himself a genius. That fool doesn't even know what a genius is.
A true genius should be like him just now, already standing at the peak of his peers without anyone realizing it!" The middle-aged man chuckled and shook his head repeatedly, seeming embarrassed for his own son.
"Yuehai, that old guy, is really lucky. Why don't I have a grandson like that?" The old man sighed with regret.
Eddie, unaware of the discussions about him, returned to the Martial Arts Hall with Grey Wolf.
In no time, using teleportation scrolls, Yehken and the others returned. Yumon Wynn, Zayn Hay, and Yanthon Chin saw Eddie and were very excited.
Eddie's presence had changed Yehken's fate and the fate of everyone. However, as men, they didn't express their gratitude in words, just nodding and silently appreciating it in their hearts.
Hai Fatty enthusiastically called out to the mercenaries and had all the items Eddie wanted brought in.
In front of Yehken and the others, Hai Fatty felt embarrassed to return the leftover money to Eddie but asked if his travel expenses were enough.
He said that as the eldest brother, he could sponsor some gold coins. Yehken rolled his eyes at this. Who was it earlier that didn't even blink at seeing six hundred gold coins? Now he's pretending to ask if someone needs travel expenses. It was truly shameless!
Innan and Sophia also returned with more things.
"New Year is approaching. Everyone should go home. Next year, we can continue our adventures together! You guys haven't been home for a long time, so you should spend the New Year with your families!" Eddie divided the items Hai Fatty bought among them, giving each person a share as a gift for their parents.
"Yinan, Yinan's brother, how about staying at our place for a few days? Then, when the New Year arrives, you can go back to your aunt's place!" Sophia enthusiastically invited.
"No, I have other matters to attend to," Innan quickly shook her head and declined.
Suddenly, she bit her lip, a blush rising on her face. She lowered her head and, with a hint of shyness, said to Eddie, "You, come out for a moment. I have a few things I want to say to you!"